Tommy Ludgate: 'So Cruel'
'So Cruel' is the new single from London based Blue Singer Tommy Ludgate. An artist who Magic Fm described as “One of 2009’s bright new hopes” and it is easy to see why.
Tommy cleverly combines politically relevant angst filled lyrics with a contemporary take on the standard blues sound. She is joined on the record by The Heard, a London based gospel choir whose haunting harmonies play out underneath Ludgates’ celestial vocals, and hold the listener in a trance-like state.
Tommy’s vocals themselves are warm and captivating showing a confidence well beyond her years, she is only 22, yet has song-writing capabilities that even the most established artist would be jealous of. Ludgate writes from a 1st person perspective as she sings of her anguish that she knows the events are happening yet is unable to help, she sings "Tell me do those soldiers really feel nothing at all?/ Why must those soldiers kill in war". While the comments and questions she asks in her songs are not exactly controversial when sang out against a bluesy folk backing, they still stand out and force the listener to take notice of what she is saying.
The track is predominantly acoustic with a guitar and piano dominating much of the songs instrumentation although the song has a percussion section consisting of bells and bongo drums. Furthermore 'So Cruel' also has a rather unconventional chorus in that it doesn’t really have any words favouring instead a melodic scat section (taking influence from jazz) performed in harmonic unison by both Ludgate and The Heard.
With the talent she has and the obvious support she has (Her fans funded her debut album) not to mention the appraisal from the likes of Magic Fm it seems impossible that Tommy Ludgate will fail. She has the voice and song-writing skills required to make it big, lets hope soon her time will come to sparkle in the spotlight and Tommy Ludgate will be the name on everyone’s lips.
Words: Kevin Angel
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